dBb’s JRM-1

[decibelboy]

Got the kit for Xmas and beginning the build today.

First thing I’m confused at is the scale length and the stop piece bridge. From inside of nut to centre of 12th fret is 31.1 cm’s but from centre of 12th fret to the nearest raised bridge section is something like 31.6cm’s and the furthest being almost 32,With the only adjustment available being to make this distance larger.

This is with the hooks on the tailpiece facing towards the neck, which is how I believe this should be from looking at other lp junior type guitars. If I reverse it and have the hooks on the tail piece facing away from the neck then the scale lengths match much closer.

Am I just getting this whole scale length thing wrong or what? Should I give up on this bridge and buy one with adjustable tailpieces? Or should I start making the neck pocket deeper?

Any ideas?

[Fretworn]

Welcome decibel boy,

If you could post photos it would be a lot easier for us to see what you mean, and I haven't made one of these so I not sure of issues that others may have had with this. (Someone who has made a JR kit might chime in with their scale measurements.) Having said this the distance from 12th fret to bridge will usually end up slightly longer than nut to 12th fret to achieve intonation, 5mm seems a bit much though.

[king casey]

I have an Epiphone Junior which measures 31cm to 12th fret and 31.2 to where the high E sits on the bridge.

cheers, Mark.

[decibelboy]

Thanks for the replies. I can’t seem to post pictures direct from my iPad, but will take some and upload on a computer later.

[FrankenWashie]

Thanks for the replies. I can’t seem to post pictures direct from my iPad, but will take some and upload on a computer later.

The base photo size from IOS will be too big to post, unless you have an app to resize it. If you use the Tapatalk app, it should give the option to resize before posting.

[Simon Barden]

I think this is similar issue to another current Jr build (Edit: actually it was a PRS-1G). I'll mention it to Adam as there might be a factory problem here (without access to some kits it's difficult to know if this is OK or not).

[Simon Barden]

Before I do that, can you tell me if you've got the adjustable bridge shown in the kit picture,



Or a different type with fixed saddles, something like this?

[decibelboy]

Hello Simon,

I have a fixed bridge, although I think I will be receiving an adjustable one from Adam as I emailed him yesterday about the measurements.

As for the measurements, I went and bought an accurate straight edge as I didn’t trust the tape measure I was using. Nut to centre of 12th is 312.5 mm and 12th to bridge is between 314 and 317mm depending on which of the fixed points you use, (see pic) so I reckon it’s close enough for jazz. Obviously the adjustable tail piece will make this even better.

[decibelboy]

No idea why that posted that pic in the middle of my writing. Ah well, I'll get the hang of it eventually!

[decibelboy]

Some of the sanded body and then the first coat of the dingo stain bushfire sunset. I'm not sure I should have done the face of the headstock as I think it might impact on later paint layers (I haven't actually decided on the headstock idea yet, currently musing on some kind of paint splatter / drip thing, definitely not a Gibson style finish that's for sure.)

This is my first time really playing with sanding wood etc and I am amazed at how much detail of the grain comes out as you move through the finer paper grain sizes and then how well the stain picks out the detail again. I am using the sandpaper kit supplied by Pitbull guitars and it has been great so far, especially with the access to the videos on Youtube etc.

I think I am going to leave the stain at this level of darkness, I don't want to go any darker. It's pretty cool and breezy in Sydney today, so will leave until Tuesday to put the first intensifier coat on. More pics to follow once I've done that. Then it is on to the fret work, which I am both looking forward to and also a bit fearful of. Need to buy some tools too next paycheck...